Sic Bo

Last update: August 12, 2007

Sic Bo, meaning "dice pair" is an ancient Chinese gambling game. It is very popular in Macau, in my estimation second to only baccarat. In the United States is often found in the Asian gaming rooms, especially in Atlantic City. The large Las Vegas properties will usually have one table in the general casino.

The game uses three dice and a table with a variety of betting options on the roll of those dice. The odds and table layout may also vary from place to place. However, the payoffs are the same across Atlantic City and Macau, but different from each other. In Vegas and on the Internet casionos, anything is possible.

Image take from the Claridge Hotel/Casino rule book. Click on the image to see the rules on the next page.

• Small: Wins on total of 4-10, except for a three of a kind. Probability of winning is 48.61%. Pays 1 to 1. House edge is 2.78%.

• Big: Wins on total of 11-17, except for a three of a kind. Probability of winning is 48.61%. Pays 1 to 1. House edge is 2.78%.

• 4: Wins on total of 4. Pays 50 to 1 in Macau and 60 to 1 in Atlantic City.

  House Edge for 4 and 17 Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  50	1.39%	29.17%
  51	1.39%	27.78%
  52	1.39%	26.39%
  53	1.39%	25.00%
  54	1.39%	23.61%
  55	1.39%	22.22%
  56	1.39%	20.83%
  57	1.39%	19.44%
  58	1.39%	18.06%
  59	1.39%	16.67%
  60	1.39%	15.28%
  61	1.39%	13.89%
  62	1.39%	12.5%
  63	1.39%	11.11%
  64	1.39%	9.72%
  65	1.39%	8.33%

• 5: Wins on total of 5. Pays 18 to 1 in Macau and 30 to 1 in Atlantic City.

  House Edge for 5 and 16 Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  18	2.78%	47.22%
  19	2.78%	44.44%
  20	2.78%	41.67%
  21	2.78%	38.89%
  22	2.78%	36.11%
  23	2.78%	33.33%
  24	2.78%	30.56%
  25	2.78%	27.78%
  26	2.78%	25%
  27	2.78%	22.22%
  28	2.78%	19.44%
  29	2.78%	16.67%
  30	2.78%	13.89%
  31	2.78%	11.11%
  32	2.78%	8.33%

• 6: Wins on total of 6. Pays 14 to 1 in Macau and 17 to 1 in Atlantic City.

  House Edge for 6 and 15 Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  14	4.63%	30.56%
  15	4.63%	25.93%
  16	4.63%	21.3%
  17	4.63%	16.67%
  18	4.63%	12.04%
  19	4.63%	7.41%

• 7: Wins on total of 7. Pays 12 to 1 in Macau and Atlantic City.

  House Edge for 7 and 14 Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  10	6.94%	23.61%
  11	6.94%	16.67%
  12	6.94%	9.72%

• 8: Wins on total of 8. Pays 8 to 1 in Macau and Atlantic City.

  House Edge for 8 and 13 Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  7	9.72%	22.22%
  8	9.72%	12.50%

• 9: Wins on total of 9. Pays 6 to 1 in Macau and Atlantic City.

  House Edge for 9 and 12 Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  6	11.57%	18.98%
  7	11.57%	7.41%

• 10: Wins on total of 10. Pays 6 to 1 in Macau and Atlantic City.

• 11: Wins on total of 10. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 10 bet above.

• 12: Wins on total of 12. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 9 bet above.

• 13: Wins on total of 13. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 8 bet above.

• 14: Wins on total of 14. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 7 bet above.

• 15: Wins on total of 15. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 6 bet above.

• 16: Wins on total of 16. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 5 bet above.

• 17: Wins on total of 17. Probabiliy of winning and payoff is the same as the 4 bet above.

• Two of a kind: Player may bet on any of the 15 possible two dice combinations (for example a 1 and 2). Bet wins if both numbers appear. Probability of winning is 13.89%. Pays 5 to 1 everywhere, for house edge of 16.67%.

• Double: Player may bet on any specific pair (for example two 1's). Player wins if at least 2 of the number chosen appears. Pays 8 to 1 in Macau and 10 to 1 in Atlantic City.

  House Edge for Double Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  8	7.41%	33.33%
  9	7.41%	25.93%
  10	7.41%	18.52%
  11	7.41%	11.11%

• Triple: Player may bet on any specific trips (for example three 1's). Player wins if all 3 dice match the number chosen. Pays 150 to 1 in Macau and 180 to 1 in Atlantic City.

  House Edge for Triple Bets
  Pays	Probability	Return
  150	0.46%	30.09%
  155	0.46%	27.78%
  160	0.46%	25.46%
  165	0.46%	23.15%
  170	0.46%	20.83%
  175	0.46%	18.52%
  180	0.46%	16.2%
  185	0.46%	13.89%
  190	0.46%	11.57%

• Any Triple: Wins on any three of a kind. Pays 24 to 1 in Macau and 30 to 1 in Atlantic City.

  House Edge for Any Triple Bet
  Pays	Probability	Return
  24	2.78%	30.56%
  25	2.78%	27.78%
  26	2.78%	25.00%
  27	2.78%	22.22%
  28	2.78%	19.44%
  29	2.78%	16.67%
  30	2.78%	13.89%
  31	2.78%	11.11%
  32	2.78%	8.33%

• 1-6: Player may bet on any specific number from 1 to 6. If chosen number appears 1 time bet pays 1 to 1, if it appears 2 times bet pays 2 to 1, and if it appears 3 times it pays 3 to 1. Probability of 1 match is 34.72%, 2 matches is 6.94%, 3 matches is 0.46%. House edge of 7.87%.

• Odd: Wins on any odd total, except loses with any three of a kind. This bet I have only seen in Macau, never in the United States. Probability of winning is 48.61% and house edge is 2.78%.
• Even: Wins on any even total, except loses with any three of a kind. This bet I have only seen in Macau, never in the United States. Probability of winning is 48.61% and house edge is 2.78%.

Following are tables summarizing each bet under the Atlantic City and Macau rules.

Following is a table summarizing each bet under the Macau rules.

Yee Hah Hi

About 20% of the many Sic Bo tables in Macau use dice with pictures, instead of numbers. According to the Ultimate Casino Guide, by Michal Wiesenberg, the name of this game is "Yee Hah Hi." Each picture has an associated number, as shown below. In addition to the usual bets there are some based on the colors of the symbols, as explained below.

• All same color: Wins if all three dice are the same color. Pays 7 to 1. The probability of winning and house edge are both, coincidentally, 11.11%.
• Excactly two of specific color: Wins if exactly two dice are a color chose by the player, for example red. Pays 3 to 1. The probability of winning is 22.22%, and house edge is 11.11%.
• Excactly one of specific color: Wins if exactly one die is a color chose by the player, for example red. Pays 1 to 1. The probability of winning is 44.44%, and house edge is 11.11%.

Other Sic Bo sources:

• Sic Bo appendix. This is a brief explanation of how the odds are calulated for each bet.
• Mathematics of Sic Bo. This is an in-depth explanation of odds and probabilities in Sic Bo.